1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a print data generating method, a print control program, and a computer-readable recording medium, in which a desired print result can be obtained in a print style which is set by an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or the like connected to a printer.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, in a printing process in a system comprising a printer having a function for printing on a page unit basis and an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer connected to the printer, as a printing method of performing a page control, a page layout print (N-up printing) such that a plurality of logical pages (N pages) are reduced and arranged into one physical page (one side of one sheet of a print paper) has been known. Such a layout print is also a printing method suitable when the user wants to save output pages or a draft print or the like is executed. For example, two logical pages (output pages from an application) are layout-printed (2-up printing) into one page of the paper, thereby enabling the number of output papers to be saved to about the half (in case of a simplex printing).
As another page layout print, a 4-up printing such that four logical pages are layout-printed into one physical page has been known. Similarly, an 8-up printing, a 9-up printing, a 16-up printing, and the like have been known. As a layout direction in one physical page, it has also been known that the direction from the right to the left, the direction from the top to the bottom, and the like are possible. To realize the layout print, a method whereby when a print mode of document data or the like is instructed on the information processing apparatus side, the operator designates a page layout print mode, designates the number of logical pages which are arranged into one physical page, and further, designates the layout direction has been known. It has also been known that when the page layout mode is once designated, the mode setting is valid until the layout mode is designated again.
In a printer having a duplex printing function, it has also been known that when an executing mode of the duplex printing is designated on the information processing apparatus side and the designated mode is transmitted to the printer, the duplex printing function is executed on the printer side without executing any special processes on the information processing apparatus side.
Further, in a printing process in a system comprising a printer having a function for printing on a page unit basis and an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or the like connected to the printer, as a printing method of performing an output style (finishing) control, a method of performing a sorting process in case of a printer having sorter bins and changing the output bin on a copy unit basis, thereby making the sorting operation easy has been known. Also in a printer having no sorter bin, an Offset output such that output positions are alternately slightly deviated and the papers are outputted on a copy unit basis, a rotation output such that the direction of the paper is rotated by 90° and the papers are outputted on a copy unit basis, and the like have been known. The Offset output and the rotation output will now be described with reference to FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 14.
FIGS. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining the Offset output in the case where three copies of a document in which one copy is constructed by three pages are outputted. FIG. 13A shows an example in the case where all pages are deviated in a lump and outputted on a copy unit basis. An arrow in the diagram indicates the direction in which the papers are ejected from the printer. The diagram illustrates a state where the second copy is deviated from the first copy in the direction (lateral direction) which crosses perpendicularly to the printer ejecting direction and outputted. Further, the diagram shows a state where the third copy is outputted to the same position as that of the first copy so that it can be distinguished from the second copy. As mentioned above, according to the Offset output, the copies are outputted by alternately changing the output positions every different copy.
FIG. 13B shows a state where only the head page of each copy is deviated in the lateral direction and the papers are outputted. As mentioned above, it has been known that there are two kinds of methods in the Offset output.
FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the rotation output in the case where three copies of a document in which one copy is constructed by three pages are outputted. An arrow in the diagram similarly indicates a direction in which the papers are ejected from the printer. The diagram shows a state where the second copy is rotated by 90° and the papers are outputted. As mentioned above, according to the rotation output, the output papers are rotated by 90° every different copy and the papers are outputted.
However, according to the above method, even if the number of output papers to which one copy of the print data which the user wants to print is printed is equal to one, so long as the Offset output or rotation output is instructed, each copy is Offset-output or rotation-output. Generally, if the number of print papers to which one copy of the print data is equal to 1, it can be sorted without Offset-outputting or rotation-outputting. On the contrary, to the operator, if the Offset output or rotation output is not performed, the print paper can be rather easily picked up and arranged. There is, consequently, a problem such that in a document comprising a plurality of copies, when the number of papers to which one copy of the print data is equal to 1, if the Offset output or rotation output is performed, the print papers become bulky and it is difficult to arrange them.
In a case where the papers to which the print data of one copy is ejected as one sheet of paper from the printer as mentioned above, although a method whereby the user preliminarily turns off the ON-state of a check box of “Offset output” or “rotation sort” by using a print mode setting function of a printer driver is also considered, there is a problem such that if the user is allowed to designate each time a printing instruction is issued, a burden on the user increases.
To install an automatic discriminating process into the printer side, not only development costs or product costs rise but also a pre-paper feed cannot be performed or the like. There is a risk of reduction in printing throughput.